Madbury budget hearing draws slim crowd

Only a few people showed up for the public hearing of the selectmen’s budget for 2013 but the proposed appropriations were discussed one by one.

If accepted at Town Meeting, this budget will reflect a 2 1/2 per cent increase over last year’s, a total of $1,212,515. To this would be added $201,175 to expand the Capital Reserve Funds and $200 to the Memorial Park Expendable Fund.

One new CRF is being proposed, to be seeded with $10,000, to begin saving for the replacement of the Nute Road bridge. This bridge was declared unsafe last summer by the state and was given a temporary reprieve which is expected to last 10 to 15 years.

The other CRFs are dedicated to Government Building Repairs; the Iafolla Reclamation; Recreational Facilities; Police Equipment; Purchase of Property or Easements; Library Building; Fire Truck; Grounds Maintenance Equipment.

Selectman Jay Moriarty reported that the major road work this year will focus on Freshet Road south of Route 108. There was discussion of the rising cost of disposing of our trash, with the hope that residents will recycle, either by leaving their recyclables separated at roadside for pick-up or by taking them to the Dover Recycle Center on Mast Road , which accepts everything from paper through used oil and tires, only a few of the more hazardous items having a fee.

The petitioned article relative to establishing a Heritage Commission and a Heritage Fund which was submitted for inclusion in the Town Meeting Warrant will not appear thereon since the Supervisors of the Checklist found that of the 27 signatures submitted, one was not that of a registered voter and two signatures did not match the signatures of the registered voters as they appear on the voter registration cards. In order to be eligible for inclusion on the warrant, a petition is required to have the signatures of at least 25 registered voters.

Town Meeting is scheduled for March l2, with voting on the ballot articles from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and the deliberative session to begin at 7 p.m.

LOTS ON PERKINS ROAD

If the conservation easement on 167 acres of Jess Gangwer’s land along Perkins Road is enacted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Gangwer will have three house lots for sale on Perkins Road.

Jack Kaiser of Doucet Survey represented Gangwer on Feb. 6 when the Planning Board accepted Gangwer’s plan on condition that the NCRS deed goes through.There was considerable discussion about the possibility of the wetlands behind the proposed three lots impacting these properties, but MLS Engineering’s Mike Seaver appeared to ease the board’s concerns.

The conservation easement covers 167 acres of land which abuts the 55 acres of the Brett conservation and the 36 acres of town-owned land at Hoyt’s Pond. Another 60 acres of Gangwer’s Roselawn Farm on the other side of Perkins Road, part of which is in Durham, was put into conservation about 4 years ago.

The board went on to approve the language which will appear in the warrant for Town Meeting relative to the zoning ordinance amendment it is proposing.This change would allow for assisted living, nursing and hospice facilities to be located in the Residential/Agricultural zone, but only along Routes 155, 108 and 9, and following site plan approval by the Planning Board.

A statement explaining the board’s reason for proposing residential care facilities in town will be sent to every household before March 12.

BOOK EXCHANGE

The Madbury Community Club will meet on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall.There will be a Book Swap: each participant will have an opportunity to review the book she has brought, and each person should be going home with a book new to her to read.

All women of the community are welcome.The president hopes a few might bring some refreshments; she can be reached at MNHCC1950@hotmail.com.

BASKET RAFFLE

Themed baskets which will be raffled after Town Meeting are on display at the library.Tickets are $1 each or

6for $5.The Library Building Fund will benefit from this raffle.More next week.